


Helping Hand

by Sodalicious_Froggy



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Phantom Limb Pain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 21:27:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29939646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sodalicious_Froggy/pseuds/Sodalicious_Froggy
Summary: Engie sometimes gets phantom pains because of the Gunslinger. This is one of those times.
Relationships: Engineer/Medic (Team Fortress 2)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	Helping Hand

**Author's Note:**

> i think we as a fandom need to play into engie having phantom limb pains more bc yeah he chopped off his _own_ hand but that's not gonna save u from everything else that comes w amputation :V
> 
> anyways! here's some gay about it

Engie let out a soft "ghk" as a sudden pain flared up in his right arm, causing him to drop the newly finished mini sentry he'd just repaired and helplessly watch as it fell to the floor and broke into several different pieces.

Welp. There went a solid 2 hours of work down the drain. It really was a shame too, he'd been trying to find a way to cram more firepower into that thing all month and just when he finally got something that would work, he just had to go and drop it. Goodie. 

Medic, however, didn't seem as concerned about the sentry, letting out a worried "Herr Engineer? Are you alright?" as he peered over the schematic he was reading. 

Engie tried to respond but ended up falling to his knees instead, gripping onto his arm with his free hand in some futile attempt to ease himself. Medic frowned, putting down his papers and going to his partner's side of the table so he could kneel down next to him and gently put a hand on his back.

"Was ist los, mein Lieber?" he asked softly, carefully pulling his goggles down to see that Engie's eyes were squeezed shut. 

" _Fire_ ," was all he could say through gritted teeth, trying his best to focus on anything that wasn't the intense burning sensation he was feeling in the general area where the Gunslinger was.

Medic grimaced. Phantom limb pains. It was far from the first time Engie had gotten them, he'd been dealing with them longer than they'd even been together after all. But he knew how much trouble they caused him and seen the pain they'd put him in, unable to quell his instinct to protect his partner, even in the times that he'd insisted they weren't as bad. 

He shifted so that he was sitting in front of him and pried his actual hand away so that he could inspect the Gunslinger for what he was looking for, letting out a soft "ah" when he'd found it.

"May I?" Medic asked as his finger hovered over the latch that held the Gunslinger in place, proceeding to remove it and the connector cuff once Engie had given him a nod of approval. Once he'd placed it on the work bench besides them, he carefully began to massage his residual limb, Engie let out a hiss of pain as he did so. Medic gave him a kiss on the forehead. 

"I know it hurts, my dear. I'm sorry. You're going to be alright," He said in a hushed voice, Engie burying his face into Medic's shoulder and fingers on his actual hand clutching onto the fabric of Medic's pants as he tried not to whimper.

His phantom pains weren't usually this bad. In fact, he'd actually been experiencing them less frequently in recent months, residuals from the time he'd cut off his own arm in preference for the Gunslinger. But every once in a while he'd still get a really bad bout of it; annoyingly very real pain in a very not real hand that likely only lasted for a few minutes at most but in those moments felt like hours. 

Trying to cope with them had never been easy, no natter how many times he'd made it not seemed like a big deal, even when it'd affect his performance in battle. But now here was Medic, mumbling reassurances into his ear as his pain began to fade and the tension gradually left his body. 

"It's alright, mein Bärchen, you're ok. I'm here for you as long as you need me to be," Medic hummed, feeling Engie's grounding death grip on his slacks eventually loosen. 

"Better?" Medic asked softly when he'd removed his face from his shoulder, Engie nodding slowly.

"Still hurts. But the fire's gone at least so. It's bearable," He sighed, looking forlornly at the scattered remains of his mini sentry. 

"Really is too bad, though. I didn't have time to write down all the things I did to the poor girl before I went and dropped her so I guess I'm gonna have to start over on the redesign," He lamented, reaching over for one of the aforementioned parts with his free hand so he could put it on the workbench. 

"Ahh, no natter. You'll make her even better next time, I'm sure of it," Medic assured, letting go of his arm to help out. 

"Let's save that for next time, though. You're not in any condition to keep going."

"Aw honey, come on, I know I said it hurts but it's not so bad I can't work-"

"No buts! Doctor's orders. We're going to go to the rec room to watch movies now and you're going to rest that arm of yours or I'll physically strap you to the couch myself," Medic warned, wagging his finger at Engie before tapping him on the nose before going over to put their papers away.

Though Engie rolled his eyes, he had to admit that the concern was appreciated. And probably warranted, considering he had the very common tendency to overwork himself anyways.

Not to mention he knew Medic was moree than capable of doing just that.

Once the two of them had gotten everything cleaned up and had changed into more comfortable clothes, the two of them sat on the rec room sofa with a multitude of pillows and blankets with Engie's right arm gently propped up on one of the pillows and Medic's left hand caressing it as he flipped through channels for something to watch. 

Engie knew he'd probably end up choosing some cheesy rom com or shitty medical drama to eviscerate and as much as he'd love to protest, he had to admit that having a flareup at 1 in the morning had actually taken more out of him than he'd like to admit. 

So instead he cozied into his blanket, resting his head against Medic's shoulder and exhaling a contented sigh as the rest of his pain slowly faded away.


End file.
